Improve your Speaking & Leadership Skillswith Toastmasters Gent!

Come visit our meetings!

When? Every 2nd, 4th and 5th Thursday of the month at 20:00 sharp. We usually gather at 19:45. If the Thursday is a national holiday, it is possible there is no meeting. Click here to see the agenda of the next meeting.

Parking place? There’s an underground parking place that can be reached via the “Gustaaf Callierlaan”. Parking here costs 1 euro per hour, day and night, every day of the week. Payment is possible by cash, debet card or visa.

Where?

Upcoming Meetings

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a Toastmasters meeting work?

Toastmasters Gent meetings start at 8 o’ clock PM.

Our meetings always start with the president who welcomes all members and guests. Then the word is passed on to the Toastmaster of the Evening. After a short introduction he introduces the roles like the timekeeper and the uh counter. Each of these people will then explain their role. A timekeeper keeps track of the time, the uh counter counts the number of uh’s and the general evaluator evaluates the evaluators.

Then it’s time for the prepared speeches. Obviously these speeches are planned in advance. These aren’t just random speeches, they originate from assignments out of a book called the Competent Communicator (CC) manual.

After the prepared speeches you’ll hear some speech evaluations. In Toastmasters we aim for constructive criticism, which means evaluations will always contain positive points and also points for improvement. Nobody’s perfect and we’re all here to grow.

Next stop is Table Topics. Table topics are impromptu speeches about a random topic. Here you can test your improvisation skills.

At the end of the evening all the roles give their report. Then it’s time for the timekeeper, the uh counter and the general evaluator to step on stage again.

The president finishes by asking the guests how they liked the meeting. Then you’ll hear the famous words “Let’s go to the bar!”

How will Toastmasters give me the opportunity to learn and grow?

At Toastmasters you learn by giving speeches and listening to the feedback you get in your evaluations. These evaluations always contain some positive points and some points for improvement. So next time you’re on stage, your speech will be even better. Never worry about the level of other speakers. Always compare yourself to yourself!

Should I be able to speak Dutch?

No. We are a bilingual club: English and Dutch speeches are both allowed. Most Toastmasters of the Evening will conduct the meeting in English in order for everyone to understand. For some of you, Toastmasters might present a exquisite opportunity to practice your English and Dutch.

As a guest we ask you to do two things. At the beginning of the meeting you tell us how you found out about Toastmasters. At the ending of the evening we’ll ask your opinion on the meeting.

Where do the meetings take place?

Unless mentioned otherwise you can pay us a visit at Zebrastraat 32, 9000 Gent. There is an underground parking place. You can access it via the Gustaaf Callierlaan.

How do I become a member?

If you’re attending a meeting as a guest, you can talk to our VP of Membership after the meeting. If you’re already sure you want to join, you can send an email to info@toastmastersgent.be. You’ll get to know us in a jiffy.

When should I become a member?

As a guest you can come as many times as you want. You can however only take up roles and give speeches if you’re subscribed. You decide yourself when the time is ripe. But know this: The faster you give your first speech, the faster you’ll improve. And improvement is what we’re all about!